Social media

Subscribe Button

Categories

5 Beauty Lessons I Learnt From Charlotte Tilbury

Friday, November 04, 2016

Last week I was beyond lucky and honoured to attend a make-up masterclass lead by the one and only Charlotte Tilbury. As you can imagine it was not only a glamorous occasion but deeply insightful too; as an artist with over 25 years of experience and of course working with some of the most iconic women in Hollywood and beyond, you can bet that the lesson was a goldmine of beauty knowledge - some of which I am able to share with you today:

1, We are ageing 10 years quicker than previous generations - cities have expanded and as such skin damage due environmental factors have never been more prevalent; couple this will long working hours, stress and weirdly our computer and phone screens could be emitting problematic and collagen damaging UV rays. As such we owe it to ourselves to invest in a great skincare routine (which includes a daily SPF) and allowing yourself a little down time - couple this with plenty of water and rest, and you should be able to hold off the hands of time a little longer.

2, Adopt the tap technique; admittedly this may seem a little bizarre on paper (or in this case screen) but once you try it for yourself, it makes a lot of sense. Have you ever found that your skincare and/or foundation sits on the surface of your skin, rather than fully absorbing? Well try tapping rather than rubbing on any liquid product and more often than not marvel at how quickly it sinks into the skin - I also find it irradiates any traces of stickiness often left behind from heavier products. If that is not enough to encourage you to tap, rather than rub - did you know that such technique encourages micro-circulation to promote plumper skin.

3, Only apply powder where needed; forget dusting a fine - or in my case a heavy - layer of powder and reserve your setting powder for where you need it. Why? Well a truly flat (and perhaps heavy-come-powdery) matte base is unforgiving, it will set into fine and deeper lines, optically flatten any natural contours of the face and as such can be a little ageing. It was also pointed out that there is no more flattering glow than the natural oil/surface of the complexion - foundation can look a little better throughout the course of where when a little sebum seeps through, despite out gut instinct to powder it down. I do hasten to add that the one thing that was very prevailant during the masterclass is that Charlotte Tilbury is a huge advocate of self expression, so if an all matte base is what your heart desires she won't (nor will I) stand in your way but for those who want an anti-ageing approach less is more.

4, Don't be afraid to mix lip shades to create your own bespoke lip colour to suit your needs. We've all at some point wished a lip product of any type was more light/deep/pink/purple based and most likely have a handful of shades purchased that don't quite make the grade; well why not mix a few together and see if you can curate the hue of your dreams. It is quick, easy and if using products you already own, inexpensive. Hey if it is good enough for Kate Moss and Salma Hayek - yes both Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips shades of such names are both creations of necessity; neither lady could find their ideal lip colour and as such Charlotte Tilbury would mix, create and apply - not to mention a few companies charge top dollar for you to play lipstick alchemist.

5, Forget what you have heard, you can and rightfully so, blame your tools if your planned make-up look doesn't go to plan. Believe it or not, you can have the steadiest hand and an eye for colour combinations and poorly a poorly constructed brush or two but combined this with shoddy make up brushes and you can hinder application. Put as much effort into sourcing the correct beauty tools as you would in selecting your dream foundation and you might just find that those tricky beauty tasks you once struggled with become that little easier.

I may not be a world renowned make-up artist but if I can offer one closing piece of advice it would be to always carry a note book and pen (or at the very least take notes on your phone) at any future make-up appointment you may attend; every artist approaches cosmetics differently and may offer an insight or product recommendation that you'd typically overlook.